a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Journey back to 2003…

Awesome feature on the coaching job Jerry did in the first year of the post-Stockton-to-Malone era (2003-2004), when many “experts” predicted that the Jazz would win the fewest games in NBA history.

Jerry’s message to the team during training camp that season: “I want you to succeed, and you’re going to succeed a lot better than a lot of people think you’re going to succeed. We’re not going to win only 8 games like some people think you’re gonna do.”

Watching that was like pouring salt in an open wound. I love Jerry, I miss Jerry, I am so lost and confused. Jerry should have won coach of the year so many times!
I wonder if the difference between that season and this season was a willingness to fight? Did our team give up? Were they unwilling to let Jerry lead? The team we started out with this season was leaps and bounds better than the team that started the season of 2003.

I had (access to) League Pass in 2003-2004 and also saw them when they played at Madison Square Garden, and that team was so much fun to watch because they fought and hustled every night. I don’t think any of the guys on this year’s team have given up but somehow the end result when they play together seems to be just going through the motions. And it still feels weird and foreign to me that Jerry’s not there.